How beautiful to place ornamental shrubs on the site. Ornamental shrubs: additional decoration of the garden

AT last years, coniferous plants are becoming more and more popular in landscape design. They are often used to create beautiful compositions and are reliable for various sites. This is due to the excellent combination of conifers with deciduous plants, stones, grass, flowers, plus a variety of species, a difference in shades, shapes and sizes, as well as a unique healing aroma that fills the air, and year-round decorativeness.

Compact coniferous composition in front of the house

Features of creating rockeries from conifers in front of the house

A rockery is a gently sloping garden that uses stones, flowers, shrubs and, in some cases, dwarf trees. The basic principles of creating rockeries in front of the house:

• lack of a clearly defined layering;
• to create a plot drawing, a combination of large stones with gravel bedding is used;
• the basis of the plant composition is conifers, or rather them;
• when choosing plants, preference should be given to the most unpretentious representatives of conifers.

A simple composition of unpretentious conifers

It is customary to distinguish 3 main types of rockeries, depending on the flora characteristic of certain natural areas: European, English Japanese. The first is usually decorated with plants that grow in middle lane . When creating English rockeries, the main emphasis is on the restraint of the composition, the main plants here are cereals, wormwood and some types of coniferous shrubs d. is predominance of stones with minimal vegetation.

English

The landscape is complemented by steppe grasses

European

Composition of conifers in front of the house in the shade of a deciduous tree

Japanese

In this photo, conifers replace mosses, framing a path that imitates a river, but it is not difficult to imagine globular arborvitae in place of mossy islets.

There are other types, but these are the most common, so to speak, classic. If you want to be original, for example, you can create a mobile rockery, which will represent a fragment of a gently sloping garden placed in some kind of container. It can be something like a hollowed out tree or its imitation.

How to choose a place for rockeries with conifers

One of distinctive features gently sloping garden from an alpine slide, is that the first does not require abundant lighting. Therefore, when choosing a place for rockeries, there should not be any particular difficulties. It will harmoniously look near the gazebo or in front of the windows of the house, near the decorative pond.

It is important that the site is flat, even if it is on a slope, there should not be pronounced level differences.

Composition of conifers on the slope.

Level differences, natural or artificial, make it possible to make a waterfall.

On a flat area.

Compositions on a flat area are relatively simple and within the power of beginners.

Coniferous compositions in landscape design

After the place is chosen, you should decide on the plot of the composition and first create a project on paper. Here, too, there are subtleties and nuances.

Firstly, when composing a composition on paper, it is necessary to take into account sizes of stones and plants.

Second, choose the right stone color palette, here designers recommend giving preference to yellow, brown and beige shades.

Gray stones dilute the bright coniferous greenery, adding watercolor to the composition.

Thirdly, most importantly achieve a natural imitation of a natural location rock outcroppings on the surface of the earth.

Ephedra can also act as an accent background for a composition of other plants.

Fencing from Verginsky juniper.

Tip - do not allow the predominance of one color.

Coniferous plants can vary quite a lot in color. When creating a composition, the correct formation of colors is important. There are also rules developed over the years:

1. For a 3-component composition - there should be 2 colors.
2. 5-component - 3 colors.
3. A multicomponent composition is created from plants that are combined into groups according to color characteristics.

Three active colors in the composition.

A mistake was made in this composition - the predominance of one shade of green, although a shrub with bright flowers slightly smooths out the impression of monotony.

The organic and carefully thought-out color scheme, as well as the layout of the forms, make this composition almost perfect.

Creating compositions from coniferous trees and shrubs, it is necessary to take into account the distance from the place from which it will most often be viewed. It must be equal to or greater than two heights of the entire composition. For coniferous plants, many designers consider the best backdrop. It is preferable to arrange compositions on the eastern or western side of the site.

A well-thought-out coniferous composition and a well-groomed lawn are made for each other.

An important role is played by the compatibility of various plants. Well visually conifers are combined with roses. But it should be borne in mind that the former oxidize the soil, and for the latter this is undesirable. Therefore, additional costs will be required to maintain the soil in the proper form.

So that over time the composition does not lose its attractiveness and does not become like wild thickets, when selecting plants, one should take into account their height when they grow, as well as the shape and size of the crown.

Among the most popular and sought after conifers are:

1. Tall:
   • (up to 5 m);
   • El Hupsi (up to 15 m);
   • Skyrocket - juniper (up to 3 m);
   • Watereri - Scotch pine;
   • Pinkus Silvestris - pine (up to 40 m).
2. medium height- enjoy special love from landscape designers:
   • yew berry;
   • Konika - spruce;
   • yew golden.
3. creeping and undersized:
   • Tiny Tim - western thuja;
   • Mini Pug and Hampi - mountain pines;
   • Lombers - spruce ordinary.

If the area of ​​the site allows, then it can be divided into separate zones, which can be not only a decoration of the garden, but also its fence. True, in order to form the latter, you will have to wait a certain time.

Decoration of the recreation area.

Compositions from conifers in the country

You can create compositions from coniferous plants on small summer cottages. Here it is necessary to take into account the general landscape of the area and its area. As practice shows, small rockeries with an area of ​​​​3.5 m2 or mobile compositions will be the most optimal for them.

Ephedra as a border near the house.

On a small dacha

Dramatic composition with conifers in the backyard, compact, but quite difficult to implement.

Composition only from conifers

When creating them, it is very important proper preparation soil for planting and strengthening the site from soil subsidence under the weight of stones and gravel. this is done in several stages. At the first, markup is made, then a layer of soil is removed and a small pit is dug. Usually the depth does not exceed 30 cm.

In the process of preparing a place for a coniferous composition.

At the second stage, the selected soil is thoroughly cleaned of roots, weeds, the soil is strengthened with geotextiles and the earth is returned to its place. If it is planned to use, then in these places drainage is made from a compacted mixture of sand and fine gravel or expanded clay.

Large stones are buried about half or one third into the ground; for stability, you can put smaller stones under them or add gravel. Designers recommend focusing the entire composition in one direction. The final stage is abundant watering. At this stage, it is desirable to prevent soil erosion.

To make it convenient to take care of the composition, it is necessary to provide comfortable and functional tracks. Alternatively, they can be made from wooden saw cuts or flat stones. Such a path will also become an additional decoration of the garden.

Coniferous compositions along the path.

Caring for coniferous compositions is not difficult, but it requires knowledge of some rules and their strict observance.

1. Regular weed removal.
2. Periodic pinching and pruning.
3. Regular fertilization, starting from the 3-4th year.
4. Moderate loosening of the soil.
5. Shelter for the winter of plants with spruce branches.
6. In the strong summer heat, it is advisable to protect the conifers from direct sunlight by installing awnings.

Schemes of coniferous compositions

Today, landscape design has become a favorite hobby of many owners of land and private houses. It is thanks to their efforts that the space that surrounds many private houses, in recent times began to change significantly.

On some household plots, vegetable gardens and even ordinary orchards gradually begin to lose ground and give way to decorative lawns, bright flower beds and unexpected plant compositions that delight their owners.

But if flower arrangements have always been held in high esteem by our gardeners, and some unpretentious shrubs have always been often found on plots, then conifers evergreens in landscape design are not yet widely used. Although their popularity is growing.

Conifers in landscape design make it possible decorate outdoor space aesthetically pleasing and rich, in addition, the garden will look like this in all seasons.

The increasing use of coniferous shrubs and trees in landscape design is due to their properties: plants are harmonious both in single plantings and in compositions all year round, most species and forms are unpretentious to soils, tolerate severe weather conditions, are less than deciduous, are susceptible to pests and diseases.

In addition to the already mentioned aesthetic effect, such landings compare favorably:

• Good absorption of street dust and noise;
• Windproof properties;
• Improving the microclimate in the local area;

Suppression of the reproduction of pathogenic viruses and bacteria, due to the release of biologically active substances by all parts of the plant;

Air supply all year round significant amount of oxygen, since most conifers are not deciduous.

Therefore, if there is a dream of a green environment in which the most favorable microclimate for people will be naturally provided, then compositions of coniferous shrubs and trees in landscape design will be the best solution. Moreover, there is always the opportunity to pick up plants of the most unexpected shape and any size of crowns, this allows you to create any compositions on your site.

For planting and growing compositions from coniferous plants, certain rules have already been formulated that are well known to both professional botanists and landscape designers. But, since some site owners want to deal with the design on their own, while others simply do not have the financial ability to hire a qualified specialist, it is necessary to start the process of creating a composition from coniferous from the theoretical part.

When planning a landing, you should immediately take into account that landscape compositions finished ones will look complete if the distance from the place from which they will be most often examined is at least twice their height.

An essential point is the careful preparation of the site for planting the plant. Its further development will depend on this, and, consequently, the beauty of the whole composition. Places on the site that are subject to periodic flooding are unsuitable for planting. It must be borne in mind that each species develops best on a certain composition of the soil. This needs to be clarified at the stage of choosing species for your garden plot.

In terms of timing, the most optimal time for landing work is the period from the end of April to the beginning of May. At this time, coniferous shrubs and trees do not yet begin active growth and, as a result, they tolerate transplantation more easily and take root in a new place.

When digging a hole, it is necessary to calculate its depth in such a way that when planting a seedling, it is located in it no deeper than the root neck (this is the border where the trunk goes into the root). After planting, you need to water abundantly, this is done to ensure best contact soil with roots, that is, you need to water it regardless of soil moisture. For the next month, the soil around the plant should not be allowed to dry out until it begins to develop its root system in a new place.

Most conifers are not very capricious when grown, but they, like other artificially grown plants, need care. In hot years, it is required to cover young plants from sunburn, especially for various firs. In winter, take measures to protect southern, imported species from frost (this includes sheltering undersized plants, snow retention, etc.) Saplings are sold with a closed root system (with a clod of earth or in a container) and with an open one (the roots are bare). If planting takes place in the spring, and the roots are open, you need to pay attention to the presence of young roots.

Breaking up the lawn to create a backdrop for coniferous plants will greatly improve the overall visual perception. Often, coniferous plants are planted next to water bodies, so that, together with weeping deciduous plants, they make up a common original composition.

Landscape designers primarily recommend giving preference to:

• various types and varieties of junipers: Cossack, rocky, Virginian, Chinese, etc.;
• firs: prickly, European;
• pines: mountain, black, ordinary.

Those. those species of conifers that are common in the wild in our forests without any care. Naturally, wild plants are quite often growing too big, they do not have sufficient decorative qualities, so you need to buy varieties with known qualities.

Junipers, pines and North American prickly spruces are quite photophilous, undemanding to the level of humidity and soil fertility. If the flower bed is in shading for a significant part of the daylight hours, it is recommended to choose zoned (that is, those that have been tested and suitable for growing in your region) varieties of yew berry, European spruce or western thuja.

For a low-maintenance garden (requiring a minimum of work throughout the year) in our latitudes, carefully purchase cypress, hemlock, pseudo-hemlock, microbiota, tuevik, cypress, cupressocypress, fir, Kemfer larch, Japanese cryptomeria, marsh cypress, thuja folded and other rare species of conifers.

According to the size of an adult plant, conifers can be conditionally divide into three groups.

Tall species of coniferous plants

Large plants include: common types:

Srednerosly plants for coniferous compositions

1. El Konika. Branchy and very aesthetic evergreen tree. Growth is slow.
2. Yew berry. Compact shrub, dense needles. Popular due to the combination of rich greens and berries, red.
3. The yew is golden. It tolerates partial shade well, combined with tall and stunted plants. It grows in the shape of a bowl, the needles are yellowish-green, green or golden. They often serve as the basis for compositions.

Undersized and creeping conifers

For such forms of conifers, it is very important to have enough space for development, because they do not grow up, but in a horizontal plane, forming something similar to a kind of lawn.

1. Spruce Lombers ordinary. Undersized plant, thick needles, bright, emerald color.
2. Pine mountain Hampi. Used in rock gardens. Unusual property- the kidneys, at temperatures below zero, are painted in beautiful reddish-brown shades.
3. Mountain pine, grade Mini Pug. It grows in the form of a kind of pillow.

Compatibility

Despite the unpretentiousness of most coniferous species to growing conditions, it is necessary to form compositions based on them, taking into account some features. Many conifers are characterized by their "aggressiveness". Species are called aggressive, which in the process of evolution have developed the ability to secrete substances that inhibit the development of other plants. In conifers, this feature allows in nature, with their very slow growth, to compete with fast growing species. That's why:

Near larch, all coniferous plants feel bad, although they can be planted, but at some distance.

Purchase of plants

Coniferous trees for creating compositions can be bought both in special nurseries and in garden shops.

Digging in natural forests and groves is not worth it, because, firstly, it may turn out to be illegal (if this territory belongs to some kind of biosphere reserve), and secondly, it is unpredictable what an adult plant will be like, even within the same species, wild specimens can vary greatly (it depends on many factors and heredity), thirdly, it is possible to bring new types of pests into your garden.

You don’t need to buy a plant just because it is beautiful and pretty. Definitely recommended learn latin name, first inquire about the size and habit of an adult plant and buy only those plants that are suitable for a particular site.

Conifers, especially of a small age, are strikingly similar and only a specialist is able to distinguish them outwardly. This is a rather expensive acquisition, designed for more than one year, so you should prepare for it in advance, arm yourself with a catalog with descriptions and photographs. Very often one sees the disappointment of buyers of extremely expensive, grown in Western nurseries, topiary (formed by special pruning of seedlings) forms, when they are created from species that are not zoned in our latitudes.

It should not be forgotten that it is advisable to buy coniferous plants with a clod of earth, dendrological nurseries sell them in burlap or wire mesh, the most the best option- grown in a container, they can be plant in any season. Naturally, you need to buy seedlings only in reputable garden centers, after checking the general condition of the needles and the quality of the root system. Many novice gardeners have been “burned” by buying cheap potted cupressocypresses and cypresses often sold in supermarkets, often they stand there, without watering, for weeks. After such conditions, these delicate plants are extremely difficult to recover, most often they die during the first wintering.

As for the price of seedlings, conifers usually cost more than deciduous ones, container ones are more expensive than those grown in the ground, grafted and topiary ones are more expensive than those grown without shaping, etc. Designers most often recommend purchasing several accent, central plants (size about 1.0-1.5 m in height), to give the flower bed volume, and buy the rest small (no more than 40 cm). But at the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that dwarf species grow extremely slowly (sometimes less than one cm per year) and having planted them very small, it will take many years to expect the required decorative effect from them.

Coniferous compositions in landscape design

The principle of constructing a landscape composition of coniferous plants

For the correct planning of a composition of conifers, it is initially necessary to decide where exactly it should be located, what type is needed, what elements will be included in it. And after that, choose plants that meet the characteristics necessary for the formation of the composition, taking into account the existing conditions.

The facade of the house and the front garden, as a rule, are the first to be seen by guests, so its design should be somewhat solemn and necessarily elegant, it is appropriate here. landscaping with basic elements regular style, which is built on a symmetrical arrangement of all components or a repeating rhythm. It will be better when the range of species here is unnecessarily diverse.

The main, accent plant is a pyramidal, standard plant, which in adulthood reaches a size of no more than 2.5-3 m (based on the size of the flower bed). Then, plants of the second order (sub-accents) are placed symmetrically from it on the sides, with dimensions up to 1-1.5 m. Between them, it is possible (without deviating from a predetermined pattern) to plant dwarf and prostrate conifers, compact ornamental deciduous shrubs and ground cover.

In informal-style plantings, compositions of coniferous plants are recommended to be placed on the lawn. in the form of a flower bed - "island", include them in the composition of the mixborder along the edges of the site, interspersed with decorative foliage plants, thus zoning the space. Here it is more optimal to select the habitus of plants according to the system of "irregular scalene triangle".

After, the remaining space is filled with plants as their importance and external saturation decrease. Lower plants are planted in the foreground of the flower beds, and taller and more voluminous ones towards the center. It is advisable to choose plants with different colors of needles so that the flower bed does not look boring. If the accent plant has silver-colored needles, you do not need to plant a variety of the same color nearby. Do not forget about the illumination of the flower bed and various seasonal plants. Against the background of bright greenery, early bulbs will look great.

For planting on an alpine hill or in flowerbeds with various annuals and ground covers, you can use miniature varieties with spherical and cushion-shaped growth forms, as well as ground cover species that cover the ground with a carpet or cascade down from retaining walls.

To create a harmonious landscape composition, certain rules must be taken into account.

Shape geometry

Contrasting combinations

By combining contrasting colors and shapes, various visual effects can be achieved. Against the background of small plants, large-sized trees will be striking, in transitions various sizes and outlines of crowns, you can smooth out the lines of the exterior.

Asymmetry and symmetry

The use of coniferous plants in landscape design implies a combination of the incongruous. That is, you can decorate the site with both symmetrical compositions and unexpected asymmetric elements that will look quite harmonious.

Currently released a large number of coniferous plants, differing in color scheme. Those who like to experiment with colors should remember that contrasting color scheme components of a small coniferous group can "break up" the composition. Therefore, experts advise in groups of conifers, from three plants, to use no more than two colors, in groups of five seedlings, no more than three colors can be planted. But in significant coniferous groups (more than 30 in number), you can plant plants with different colors, while not forgetting to combine them into small groups of three plants of the same color.

Crown height and shape

When creating compositions, it is necessary to take into account not only the color of the seedling, but also its dimensions in adulthood and the outlines of its crown. In order to predict the type of composition in the future, you should initially study the characteristics of the proposed varieties before buying them.

Composition types

Mixborder

The mixborder can be placed where, in accordance with the wishes of the owner of the site, it will look best. Don't be afraid to do what you want. From the manifestation of individuality, the garden landscape only benefits.

For the largest plants prepare a place at the very edge of the future composition, then the plantings are arranged in descending order of size, so the smallest plants are planted at the base of the mixborder. No need to strive to maintain the same geometric accuracy of plantings. Curvature will only emphasize the original beauty of the composition.

The natural harmony of the mixborder must be observed: the width of plantings of large plants must necessarily exceed the space allocated for undersized plantings. As part of the plantation, there may be specimens that differ in the color of the needles and the outlines of the crown.

Coniferous hedge

A hedge, using coniferous plants, is created quite often. In plantings of a regular style, which is rarely found in our latitudes, a coniferous hedge is nothing more than a hedge, but landscape style and modern makes it possible to use evergreen hedges as a backdrop for bright perennials. From conifers, dense shaped or unshaped hedges can be formed. In order to create a dense green hedge, plants are placed in several rows, in a checkerboard pattern. One of the most impenetrable hedges is considered to be a shaped staggered spruce planting.

Compositions of coniferous circular view

Compositions of a circular view are called landings, the decorative effect of which should be visible from all sides of the view. Compositions of this kind are usually planted in paving openings or in round flower beds. Planting plants, maybe any - irregular or symmetrical. The most dimensional plant is placed in the center of the symmetrical composition, around it at an equal distance are species of small dimensions.

For asymmetrical groups, the same principle applies: the height of each subsequent row should gradually decrease, thereby emphasizing the visual perception of the previous row. The formation of an asymmetrical composition is one of the most complex work for the landscape designer. It must provide an overview of the landing from all angles.

For example, consider the option of using Scots pine as an accent plant. It is necessary to choose the variety of this tree, reaching a height of 2-2.5 m, with small bluish-gray needles.

In front of it, a specimen of a slow-growing, fairly frost-resistant Korean cedar pine is planted, a pyramid-shaped variety is desirable, with long needles of a silver-blue hue. Three Cossack junipers can be placed in the corner of the composition. To the left of them, plant two slow-growing dwarf ones. You can add several western thujas to the composition. The space between the plants is covered with a layer of decorative mulch, it is aesthetically pleasing to use ground spruce cones as it. Such a composition does not need special care.

Compositions with a geometric shape of the crown

In such a composition, prickly spruce, with bluish-white needles, will look good. The height of the selected variety should not be more than 3-4 meters.

To the left of it, you can place the thuja western, a variety with a narrow cone-shaped crown. Between spruce and thuja, four plants of slow-growing mountain pine, a spherical variety with dark green needles, will look good. There are varieties of mountain pine with an original property - they have needles, with the first frosts, turn yellow, and the green color returns in the spring.

In addition to those listed, there are still a huge variety of different compositions and combinations of plants. This article lists only some of the more common ones.

Conclusion

Here, in a nutshell, are the basics of creating coniferous compositions. But this information is only an invitation to world full of creativity and beauty landscape design, in general, and the creation of coniferous compositions in particular.

Any person can turn both a significant plot and a small area near the house into a unique and unique composition of living plants. It is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance - a little patience, knowledge and your own imagination.

Beautiful landscape compositions look very stylish. This direction of design needs to be given a sufficient amount of not only time and effort, but also attention. In this case, it is of great importance not only which plants are used to decorate a particular area, but also how they harmonize with each other and whether they correspond to the general chosen design style.

Basic subtleties

Ways of landscaping a particular park, garden or small plot of land are quite an important issue that the gardener faces. But no less important is the issue of creating compositions from shrubs, trees, flowers and other elements. In order to successfully cope with the task of beautiful and high-quality garden design, you need to know the basic techniques that are used by both professional designers and experienced amateur gardeners.

Main principles of design

When creating mixborders and flower beds, it is important to take into account the basic principles according to which a kind of decoration of a garden plot is carried out. The most important of them are the following:

• all-season landings;
• unity of floristry;
• planting tiers.

In order to not only understand, but also implement each of these principles, it is important to pay special attention to what plants you choose for a flower bed or a large flower garden. So, implementing the principle of layering, get acquainted with the physical features of the purchased flowers, bushes or trees. They must be planted in such a way that not a single plant is covered by another. That is why low, squat plants are planted in the foreground of the flower bed, which will become a kind of border and will not exceed 20-25 cm in height. The next row may already consist of those representatives of the flora that grow up to 40-45 cm high. Further planting patterns are observed according to the given dimensions. So, the third row is made up of plants 60-65 cm high, and so on until the use of coniferous or deciduous shrubs and trees. They land on the farthest plan of the flower garden, as they will be perfectly visible there.

The need to implement the principle of layering is connected primarily with the fact that they allow you to view the flower garden in all its beauty. Well, you should not lose sight of the fact that the tiered arrangement of flowers provides maximum and uniform illumination of plants of each type, and this, in turn, allows plants to grow and develop healthy and beautiful.

Using ready-made landscape compositions is quite easy and, most importantly, advantageous in almost any respect, because in this case you have the opportunity, without resorting to additional efforts and costs, to get an excellent composition on your site, which has been tested and tested on several previous garden plots professional gardeners and designers. However, in these cases, problems occur. For example, they may be due to the fact that the site is not well lit and the selected plants will not be able to develop correctly in the new conditions. In addition to the above factor, attention is drawn to the composition of the soil on the site. A lot depends on it too.

In order to avoid such failures, you need to heed the advice of professional landscape designers. So, in order for the flower garden to be decorative (keep blooming and beautiful appearance) during its entire growing season, which usually lasts from early spring to late autumn, it is necessary to clearly know which plants start and end flowering in which period. It is on this principle that the selection of plants in a flower bed should be carried out.

Most of the flower beds reach their maximum decorativeness in the middle - second half of summer. Usually daylilies bloom in such flower beds, which allow you to see yourself and delight everyone around with flowering for a whole month. In addition to these plants, in a blooming mid-summer flowerbed you can find Verginsky veronicastrum (or Veronica), traditional and irreplaceable roses, bright sprawling astilbes and briar - the brightest plant that reaches a height of 2 m.

But you should not dwell only on the varieties of flowers presented earlier, because they miss spring and autumn, during which we also want to please the eye with beautiful and spectacular inflorescences. So, for the May part of the flower garden, the rhododendron will be an excellent solution. It blooms in May and does not allow even those who have come across this majestic image to take their eyes off them. Immediately after the rhododendron blooms, and this usually happens in early June, a stunning flower called spirea blooms. It can be presented in completely different colors, but most often it is delicate white or pink shades, which are embodied in small elegant inflorescences, so it is perfectly included in the overall flower garden ensemble.

For the so-called padding of the flower garden and to create, as already mentioned, a kind of border, marigolds will look very impressive. These are bright all-season flowering plants that can also be embodied in different colors, but most often they are, of course, red, bright red or lemon yellow. They will look amazing in the foreground of any flower bed, so you should pay special attention to them when choosing plants and for decorating the 1st, lower tier.

Well, at the end of the period, one can note such a plant as euonymus. All the time it usually grows as a shrub with greenish leaves, but then it begins to change its color, which in September becomes somewhat bluish, gradually turning into red. As a result, the shrub becomes a beautiful and spectacular hat of the entire flower garden. Do not forget about conifers - small shrubs and large trees, which allow you to add variety to the unity of colors. Since they constantly remain in the state in which we see them both in winter, and in summer, and in autumn, and in spring, this bright green or slightly brownish color of conifers will dilute the overall plot and color scheme. You don’t have to worry that this or that site will look unsightly from the outside in the autumn or winter.

Color compositions

The next point, which you will also have to pay attention to, is related to the color scheme used in a particular area of ​​\u200b\u200byour garden.

Much in this case depends on the style in which most of the territory of your garden is decorated.

And be sure to pay attention to the style in which certain structures were built on the site. It is depending on this that the selection and selection of certain shades and inflorescences will take place. So, for example, if your garden was created in order to relax in it - read a book, meet friends or just lie down, sunbathe in the sun, then most often for such a decision you should choose calm, classic colors that blend perfectly with each other.

In this case, it will be necessary to choose, for example, pink shades from pale and slightly noticeable to quite bright. Also, do not neglect the red, yellow and bluish hues. Here, the main move in the coloristic work is connected with the fact that contrasting inclusions are used against the background of soft and warm shades. So, in the foreground, in addition to marigolds, which are most often used to create a bright image, you can use those landscape compositions that will emphasize more greenery, but at the same time have a distinctive color. For example, it may be a plant such as geyhera. This plant differs from the rest in that its foliage is not green, but purple. For this composition, an excellent solution would be to use echinacea, which blooms in the same color scheme. This is a color range from light purple to fairly deep lilac. In the background, after echinacea, you can plant veronicastrum, which is a very tall and beautiful plant of various shades - from snow-white to blue. Shades of needles are perfect for it, so do not forget about blue spruces.

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Coniferous compositions are an ideal solution for any site, because they look neat and beautiful at any time of the year and do not require much maintenance.

Coniferous plants are evergreen inhabitants of the garden, which all year round do not lose their decorative effect. And if earlier only their tall species were popular - spruce, pine, cedar, fir, then over the past decades, tireless breeders have bred many varieties of conifers, different in shape, height and color. Skillfully combining them, you can create extraordinary compositions that look just as good. flower beds and require much less maintenance.

Consider several options for constructing compositions from coniferous plants.

Flat coniferous flower bed

In the center of such a flower bed are dwarf spruce Nidiformis, the maximum height of which reaches 1 m. It is best to frame the planting with horizontal forms of juniper, for example, Cossack, which will create an undersized border.

Juniper hedges should be planted at a distance of 60 cm from each other, spruce - after 100 cm.

Such a flower bed is monochrome, only green shades prevail in it, but if you plant juniper varieties Aurea or Blue, then the composition will sparkle with yellow and blue colors.
In support of the horizontal flower bed, arborvitae of the Smaragd variety are planted on both sides of it; in the background, the composition is complemented by two mountain pines and globular spruces.

Landscaping around the house

There is an erroneous opinion that only perennial and annual flowers are planted in the front garden. This plot of land can be perfectly decorated with evergreens. Only you need to choose coniferous undersized species. This composition consists of mountain pine, which grows no more than 1.5 m, as well as from its spherical shape, grafted on a trunk, and creeping junipers. Such an unpretentious flower bed will provide you with an elegant view from the window all year round.

Composition of dwarf pines and junipers

Plants of the same type, but of different varieties, planted nearby are well combined. So, for example, mountain pines of varieties planted nearby look win-win. Pumilio, Dwarf, Mugus. They differ in crown shape and height, giving the site dynamism. Planting of pines is accentuated by rocky juniper in the center and ground cover forms of junipers along the edges of the composition.

Tricolor composition of juniper, spruce and arborvitae

Plants with blue needles look great on a green background. In this composition, in the background are thujas planted as a hedge: on the left - a rocky juniper, on the right - a dwarf thuja. Blue spruces of cone-shaped and pillow-shaped forms look spectacular among the greenery. The juniper lying in the foreground adds a yellow tint to the composition. A truly fabulous look is created, which can be emphasized by placing a figurine of a gnome or elf next to the tree.

Rocky garden in the English style

In England, coniferous shrubs are widely used to create rockeries (rocky gardens). Cushion-shaped mountain pine Dwarf Pairs well with dwarf blue spruce glauka Globoza and with juniper medium Mint Julep. White marble chips under coniferous plants emphasize their shape and structure.

Classic rockery

When creating rockeries, it should be remembered that coniferous plants are the main element in it. So, initially, when constructing a flower arrangement, it is necessary to highlight the center - usually this is a pyramid-shaped plant, around which all other shrubs are planted. But in our rockery there are two centers, and in contrast to the western Emerald Glauka blue spruce planted Globoza. The two trees differ in height, shape and texture, thus bringing a certain rhythm to the composition. Along the perimeter of the rocky garden, horizontal forms of junipers and pines are planted. The space between the conifers is decorated with beautifully flowering deciduous shrubs (hydrangea, barberry, weigela, buddley, spirea).

Coniferous plants in the design of rock garden

Coniferous look favorably in combination with stones. Therefore, they are often used in the design of an alpine slide. In the foreground, horizontal forms of undersized pines, junipers and firs are planted. In the background - sprawling bushes of Cossack juniper, the center is decorated with rocky juniper Skyrocket. For variety, deciduous shrubs with an openwork crown shape (barberry, spirea, fieldfare) are added to the composition. Stonecrop, tenacious, purslane, alpine carnation and other ground cover plants are planted in the gap between the stones.

coastline decoration

The natural beauty of the reservoir is emphasized by the horizontal forms of coniferous plants lying on the stones. And tall arborvitae and rocky junipers serve as an excellent background and create an imitation of a forest.

Compositions-mixes with deciduous plants

Coniferous plants are beautiful on their own, but are able to "play" with new colors, if you combine them in one composition with deciduous plants. They will serve as an excellent backdrop for flowering deciduous roses, rhododendrons, hydrangeas. Here, an endless space opens up for your design imagination, because the palette of colors and textures in such mixes expands significantly.

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Due to the huge variety of shapes and colors, coniferous plants make excellent compositions that catch the eye for a long time. And given that they retain their decorative properties throughout the year and look even more elegant under snow caps, you should definitely try to create at least a small coniferous corner on the site.

The way the plants are arranged in height depends on where the flower garden will be located.

On each site there is a place from which the mixborder will be best seen and from which you can admire the compositions created by yourself. These are viewpoints - a bench, a terrace, a gazebo. The tallest plant should be at a distance of two or three of its heights from the view point.

Planting in a permanent place begins with the tallest plants and ends with ground covers. For medium and long-range plans, plants that are more intensely colored are used. Foregrounds are more often occupied by more modest undersized flowers.

How to create a mixborder (video)

All elements of the flower garden must meet the requirements of the style.

The main styles of the mixborder:

• rustic- use plants with rough textured leaves and fluffy inflorescences that make up small flowers (dahlia cultural, mallow, foxglove, calendula, nasturtium);
• exotic- the components of the flower garden are not typical for the area;
• garden style requires plants with glossy leaves and large flowers (peonies, roses, lilies, echinacea, antirrinum, petunia);
• nature garden, or a natural garden, as close as possible to nature both in appearance and in a set of unpretentious plants of meadow or forest types (primrose, lily of the valley, bathing suit, bell).

Mixborders of shrubs and perennials: the choice of plants for compositions

The device takes into account the approximate distance from the viewpoint to the flower garden. In order for plants of different heights to look harmonious, they must be carefully selected in height.

• tall (above 1 m) - 1-5 pieces;
• medium tall (40–60 cm) - from 5 to 9;
• undersized (20-40 cm) - 9-11;
• ground cover from 30 to 55.

Classification	plant names
Ground cover or curb (up to 25 cm)	Ayuga, Periwinkle, Viola, Carnation pinnate, Saxifrage, Crocus, Young, Spring primrose, Phlox subulate
Short (25–50 cm)	Alpine aster, Badan thick-leaved, Herbal carnation, Lungwort, Stonecrop prominent, Chess grouse, Tulips, Korean chrysanthemum
Medium height (50–100 cm)	Aconite, Achillea, Iris hybrid and Siberian, Lily, Lupine, Nivyanik, Peony, Echinacea purpurea
Tall (100–200 cm)	Dahlia cultural, Delphinium, Elecampane high, Blackberry, Giant onion, Rudbeckia "Golden Ball", Phlox paniculata
Giants (over 200 cm)	Mallow or Stockroza, Sakhalin Highlander (up to 3 m), Phytolacca
	Miscanthus (up to 2 m)
Shrubs, low forms (from 25 cm to 2.5 m)	Heather, Arundinaria, Camellia, Cariopteris, Ceanotus, Hebe, St. John's wort, Lavender, Rhododendron, Rose, Hydrangea
Coniferous, dwarf forms (from 30 cm to 2 m)	Cypress. Juniper, Sciadopitis, Thuja, Microbiota

The choice of assortment depends on the illumination of the site, the style decision of the mixboder, the height of the plants and the intended color scheme.

Perennial mixborders: ready-made schemes and device

The effect of prolonged flowering is achieved by selecting plants that will bloom one after another from early spring to the first snow. To create a continuously flowering composition, use the perennial flowering calendar.

Flowering time	Name
Spring blooming (April, May)	Astilba, Anemone oak, Geranium. Bearded iris, Marsh marigold, Hybrid daylily
Spring blooming (May, June)	Catchment, Carnation, Iberis, Siberian iris, Tulips, Peonies, Pulsatilla vulgaris, Phlox subulate, Lamb
Summer flowering (June, July, August)	Pillow aster, Aconite, Common columbine, Campanula, Lilies, Echinacea, Spiker, Roses, Hydrangea
Autumn blooming (September, October)	Astilbe, Asters, Bell peach, St. John's wort, Stonecrop, Rudbeckia Sullivanta, Yarrow

Stages of creating a mixborder

Thoroughly prepare the soil 2-3 weeks before planting: remove weeds, dig and fertilize. Digging around the perimeter of the flower garden border tape so that its upper edge protrudes slightly above the ground level. This technique will not allow weeds to crawl onto the flower garden.

They make a drawing using a scale - for small flower beds 1:10, for large ones 1:50. The contours of the flower garden are applied to a sheet of paper and the planting sites of the selected plants are placed in the form of irregular ovals and circles.

Flowers are planted in the evening or on cloudy days.

Shrub mixborder (video)

Plants are located on the principle of an amphitheater in a one-sided mixborder placed against a wall or fence - from tall to low and ground cover.

Tall plants are planted in the center, low ones on the periphery:

• with a two-way view - the mixborder is located between the paths;
• with a circular view - the mixborder is located on the lawn.

The height of the largest plant should be no more than the width of the flower bed itself. This rule does not apply to one-sided borders.

The design uses decorative mulching materials - gravel, wood chips or bark, which emphasize the aesthetics of the flower garden and reduce maintenance time.

Examples of mixborders

Mixborder of medicinal plants

Medicinal plants have not only medicinal, but also decorative qualities. Range medicinal plants so diverse that you can create a flower garden both monochrome and in any color scheme.

• Yellow-orange palette: arnica, immortelle sandy, yellow gentian, elecampane tall, St. John's wort, erect cinquefoil, spring primrose.
• blue gamut: small periwinkle, hyssop officinalis, angustifolia lavender, peppermint, medicinal sage.
• Pink-lilac gamma: badan thick-leaved, blue cornflower, common oregano, officinalis burnet, forest mallow, motherwort, creeping thyme, wrinkled rosehip.
• White: Moldavian snakehead, black cohosh, daisy, lemon balm, meadowsweet, damask nigella.

Mixborder at the forest edge

It is located at some distance from groups of trees and shrubs. Meadow flowers are used - bluebells, rudbeckia, yarrow, loosestrife. Abundantly flowering annuals are introduced into the assortment to create bright accents- snapdragon, petunias, ageratum, lobularia.

Mixborder between path and garden shrubs

A bush is planted along the fence, next to it is a narrow strip of land, partially shaded. Hostas, bergenia, tiarka, astilbes are planted on a shady area - plants with picturesquely colored leaves. In the foreground, better illuminated, petunias, ageratum, phloxes grow. In the next tier, fragrant annuals are placed - levkoy and lobularia.

Mixed flower beds from shrubs and conifers

In spring, some tree species have a beautiful color - apple, cherry, plum. Even the needles of coniferous trees are colored differently.

Pine needles and heather

Compact forms of coniferous and heather trees, placed in a shady place, form the basis. Complement the composition of herbaceous perennials. Ground cover plants complete the structure of the flower garden. Such mixborders need well-drained soils. Mulch with pine or spruce needles.

Decorative deciduous and flowering shrubs

Choose compact and shearable shrubs- almonds, Kuril tea, Japanese quince. Beautiful flowering shrubs - hydrangea, tree-like peonies, roses are the decoration of the composition. Evergreen shrubs (magonia, boxwood, iberis) and shrubs with intricately colored leaves (silver sucker, barberry, gray spirea, Japanese spirea) effectively complement the flower garden. Conifers are used in moderation. Ground cover plants are placed at the forefront - tenacity, carpet phlox, stonecrop, saxifrage. You can not do without flowering perennials - primroses, violets, daisies, and compact annuals - lobelia, beetroot, portulax.

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